Bred For War
by My Broken Dreams
Summary: The Nada were created by the Drey to protect their world from the Xenomorph and Yautja. With no memory of their previous lives, four individuals face the nastiest creatures to save the ones who changed everything they ever knew. R
1. Chapter One

They were genetically altered by the Drey to protect their world from the Xenomorph and Yautja. Four individuals bound to one purpose. Their destiny has already been sealed.

Title: **Bred For War** (may change if something better comes to mind)

Author: My Broken Dreams

Rating: Overall T to M (PG-13 to R), as of now, specific chapter ratings may vary.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that has already been established in the Alien/Predator/AVP world. I'm not making any form of profit off this work.

All _original_ characters and plots belong to me, however. The Dreys and Nada are mine. Don't take them without permission, please… who'd want to take them anyways?

Muse: Whatever angst music I can get my hands on at the moment.

Chapter Status: 1? Complete

Individual Ch. Rating: T (PG-13), for brief language

Chapter Title: **These Sisters of Mine**

Twin orange suns gleamed brightly overhead in the lavender sky, one partially hidden behind the other. Six-winged insects fluttered in the dancing beams over the forest, chirping merrily as they trailed rainbow tails of mist. The chatter of beasts in the woodland was the melody of Nature, branches whistling, as they brushed against each other in the gentle wind.

A brown body slipped through the thick canopy above the undergrowth, long limbs creeping across the muscular appendages of the trees. Critical cobalt eyes scanned the horizon, checking expertly for anything out of place. There was nothing amiss.

Deirdra dropped to the forest floor lightly, landing on her feet without a problem. She stalked through the flora while retying her curly hair into its tight sepia ponytail, picking out a few leaves that stubbornly irritated her scalp. She should've been used to these small nuisances, but she still insisted on making her living as comfortable as it possibly could be.

Her sweep of the forest had turned up clean. No suspicious footprints, no misplaced foliage, no strange smells, and no slime. She hoped this was how everything else turned out.

Deirdra appeared to be in her upper teen years, although her exact age couldn't be determined by appearance alone. While her body seemed young, her eyes held a peculiar light that could only be described by something beyond the age of wisdom. She wore camouflaged armor over a mesh suit, very similar to that of the Enemy. The metal plates were curved to her body and light in weight, much more easy to maneuver than a person would think. The two belts around her waist housed a blade of intricate design and a holster, which contained a platinum-colored elliptical gun with a vial in its barrel that glowed with crimson liquid.

Her boots made not a sound as she crept along the faint path worn into the ground. She would report back to headquarters with a positive outcome. Maybe she and the other Nada would be able to take a day off at the waterfall garden, after spending so much time in the heat of the suns. Besides, nothing had been going on. No threats had been uncovered. The men back at HQ could stick with their scanners if they wanted to keep an eye on every bloody thing on that planet.

Deirdra really did take her job seriously. She was made to do what she did. All of the Nada were. They stomped around in their designer body armor, scowling and spitting, and sliced whatever pissed them off into pieces. It was that simple. All the trouble they had ever really encountered was the rogue ragtag team of half-breeds and hybrids that enjoyed playing nasty jokes on innocent villagers.

… Okay, they didn't spit. But they did scowl occasionally. Who wouldn't, stuck in the humid and roasting hot forest? Chesna was lucky, she thought, getting to scout the Oceanside. Even Kallima had a good deal – the cool mountains in the south. Maybe Trelandi was suffering just as much as she was in the plains. They were still her sisters.

(scene change)

Chesna dipped her pale hand into the water, silently taking pleasure in the chilly sensation on such a warm day. However, she was still doing her job, reaching her mind into the ocean and spreading it through the current to make sure there were no invaders coming from across the sea. She remained in her kneeling position, eyes partially lidded, not budging the slightest. Her flora headdress swayed a little on top of her head, but that was the only movement. Her armor glinted purple in the sun.

There was nothing foreign and unwanted in the waters. Retracting her hand, Chesna stared at her reflection with honey eyes. She looked exceedingly tired, especially after a violent storm threatened the wellbeing of many animals among the shores. She had spent most of the past week healing broken bones and swollen limbs and that drained her of her energy. She still needed time to recoup.

She picked herself up, slipping her bare feet into the shallows and slowly making her way down the shoreline. She didn't bother to hike up her lilac dress under her armor, letting the fabric soak in the saltwater. She absently twisted the billowing sleeves around her fingers, staring out at the blanket of green and blue. Clouds were gathering up in the sky miles away, with a peal of distant thunder, but that threat wasn't close enough to be of any concern right now…

Until the thunder turned into a close by roar.

Chesna snapped her head up to view the sky, her eyes following sharply the whizzing of a large object flying over. It soared past the shores and towards the ocean of trees beyond. She knew it was a craft of some sort, one she didn't recognize immediately because of the speed it was moving at, but she knew for sure that that wasn't a good sign.

Sliding two fingers between her lips, she gave a shrill whistle of warning before abandoning the comfort of the water and dashing off for the forest with inhuman speed. She hoped she could find Deirdra as quickly as possible or that she had noticed the unidentified object as well.

Something was coming… and it wasn't good.

(scene change)

Kallima gave a growl of frustration, shielding herself again as a boulder-sized rock fell on her from above. It shattered into shards when it impacted against the translucent barrier around her, leaving her unharmed, yet making the ground tremble slightly. There was nothing wrong with the mountain area, actually. Just a rotten primate that had a grudge against her, for some reason she was oblivious to.

She had been strolling peacefully down the mountain, finished with her inspection, until fist-sized stones began pelting her from behind. The stones gradually became larger, not ceasing, and forced her to take cover.

She gingerly stepped out of the barrier, however, remained behind it, because the fluctuation of the energy blurred out her image. She kept the barrier erected, hoping to fool the creature into believing that she was still hidden within its protection. She slipped into the coverage of a deep crevice in the mountainside, finally allowing herself a sigh of relief.

She unlatched a long hollow stalk of a plant that was hooked onto the belt that crossed over her shoulder and to her opposite hip behind her. She lifted it to her eye, making sure that the hollow was completely void of any interfering objects. It was clear.

She fished through a pouch that was also attached to that belt, albeit very carefully. A moment later, she removed a thin dart, tailed by a small blue feather. She prodded it into the opening of the tubular stalk, and then covered it with her finger, catching the feather on the rim of the hole and keeping the dart in place. She peeked over the edge of the crevice wall, watching as more rocks were thrown at the barrier, which was actually empty. She followed the rocks to their source, able to make out the auburn mane of the primate as it ducked behind its trench. Before too long, all the rocks it disturbed would probably release into a rockslide. She wasn't going to let that happen.

She crawled out of her hiding place and wormed her way through the rubble, the pipe-like weapon still secured in her hand. She remained in the shadow of the mountain, coming up on the backside of the creature. She knew she was getting closer when the primate's two tails whipped into view, waving like a flag in the air.

She moved quietly, barely turning any stone over, until she made it to the ridge behind the primate. She watched it with an almost fond smile. It was about the size of a grown man, with thick fur over its body. Its two tails were twice the length as its height and its head, neck, and shoulders were covered in a bushy mane. It could almost pass as a stuffed animal, if it wasn't so restless.

Kallima inhaled deeply and aimed at the creature's back. She covered the opening of the stalk with her lips and gave a strong puff. The creature howled suddenly, although she knew it was more from surprise than pain. As the drugging herb sunk into its bloodstream from the tip of the dart and started to take affect, it fell forward, unconscious and unscathed; it would reawaken within the hour. She moved forward, allowing the barrier below to flicker out of existence. She reached the primate and swiftly removed the dart from its hairy back, located easily by the blue feather.

She snapped the tip off (why? To prevent the spread of disease if the was reused) and returned it to the pouch. The tiny shaft was still long enough to be sharpened and herbs reapplied. It could be used again.

She stood and stretched, facing the suns as she latched the tube back to her belt. Her deep purple eyes closed as her locks of snow white flapped in the cool mountain breeze. She felt content once more, spreading her arms out and tilting her face into the wind. She was at peace with herself and nature around her, and it was amazing!

A happy smile curling her pale lips upward, she started back for the place she called home.

(scene change)

It was active as usual in the dome-shaped headquarters. Colorful lights pulsed rhythmically on the high-tech machines that took up the majority of the space in the immense building and informational reports were continuously being updated and displayed on the assigned consoles. Figures were bustling about in a business-like manner.

A large screen was suspended along the northern side of the headquarters, showing a sort of map. All activity stopped, however, when a pinpoint appeared on it and zeroed in on an area colored in brown. A warning beep sounded all around the building and sirens flashed red.

"Report!" a deep voice barked.

"We have received a message from the deep-earth probe in the mid-west plain sector that unauthorized construction has begun underground," another voice answered.

Hushed whispers were unable to be contained as bodies began to move more frantically around their posts.

Trelandi watched silently as the anxiety rose drastically, leaning against a large, fancy machine that she had no clue what it did. It was normal to get a bit antsy when something like this happened, but she had been taught to keep her cool in all situations. She stared at the screen overhead and watched the pinpoint flash with an almost nonchalant expression.

"Activate the bio-scans and see if it recognizes the bio signatures," she announced tersely.

There was a momentary silence before her order was accepted by their commanding officer and repeated, with even more venom.

Trelandi scowled as a hand suddenly patted her head.

"So you're already taking control? I thought you weren't power thirsty," a soft tenor teased, easily avoiding an annoyed swat from the girl. "You'll grow up to be a good leader, don't you worry."

She rolled emerald eyes. "We all know that if any of the Nada were going to be a leader of _any_ sort, Deirdra would be the one best equipped."

"Why do you say that?" asked the tenor. She could easily picture him raising an eyebrow.

"Because she's a pain in the ass and bossy as hell," Trelandi replied airily, with a small flip of her hand, before adding quietly, "Plus I don't like being the one giving orders, you especially know that, Ki'ersk." She grimaced as she was given another pat on the head, before shooting him an icy glare. She was only there because she had finished her daily chore of searching the terrain for anything off earlier that day, but she was almost tempted to go search again, just to make sure.

Trelandi looked truly out of place in the community of Dreys, but she honestly felt like she fit in better here than anywhere else. She looked at Ki'ersk, not at all disturbed by his humanoid features.

Ki'ersk walked without clothing, like all his species did, for they had no outer reproductive organs to be embarrassed about. His skin was a deep green, completely hairless, and slightly rougher in texture than Trelandi's. A gangly body with very subtle muscles in the limbs and chest, but with an undeniable cat-like grace and stealth, he stood a good ten inches over her five-foot-seven.

His face structure was firm, with a strong chin and jaw-line, bold cheekbones, almond-like silvery-blue eyes that were tilted just a little, a slightly upturned nose, thin, straight set mouth, and little dainty ears. His fingers were long and slender, as were his feet, with toes that curled and were able to support his own weight, plus more. Cat-like? Indeed. In all honesty, they appeared physically weak, but they really weren't, able to complete excessive tasks.

She supposed he could look a bit intimidating at first glance, because their faces were shaped so it almost appeared they were glaring, but she grew up around this species, as did the other Nada. Ki'ersk actually had a very easygoing personality, making him enjoyable company in the tense atmosphere they lived in.

(flash)

The Dreys were a mere few thousand in total population and inhabited their own small planet in the vast universe. They were loyal and compassionate, yet protective of what belonged to them. However, the world they claimed was an ideal spot for Hunting. The forests were complex mazes of trees; the mountains had tunnels dug deep underneath them; the plains provided a large area for field battle. And the creatures there made excellent hosts for the infant Xenomorphs.

They were technologically and scientifically advanced, though. To prevent themselves from being hosts, they injected themselves with mutated enzymes that would stimulate rapid cellular decomposition when the natural instincts of the body became alerted of an impossibly hopeless situation, sending them to immediate death as their bodies rotted at an amazing speed, leaving nothing for the Xenomorph larva to feed off of. They were aware of the dangers that the Xenomorph brought with them to new worlds and would do anything to prevent the reproduction of the destructive aliens.

It backfired. The enzymes injected in the Dreys altered their hormones, preventing them from being able to reproduce. They were unaware of this until it was too late. Now they had undoubtedly led themselves to their own extinction.

For centuries, Dreys lived in spacecrafts, aimless wanderers of the galaxy, their original home world destroyed when a nearby star collapsed into a black hole. A narrow escape it was. They traveled through the galaxy, unable to find a place that could support their life. It was nothing short of a miracle when they found this planet, filled with wildlife. And they weren't going to let go of it so easily.

Special forces were trained, although they were small in numbers. Their bodies were not made for battle. Only a few were able to override the natural instinctual warning and be able to march into a life-or-death situation.

But now they had the Nada. Genetically engineered to protect, fight, and win.

Deirdra, Trelandi, Chesna, and Kallima. They were the perfect subjects, outcasts and unwanted. Deirdra had been an autistic child in a family that could stand no flaws. Trelandi was from a village raided by the Yautja and nearly bled to death, if she hadn't been recovered by a salvaging activist group, which put her in a stasis pod to preserve her for the majority of her early life. Chesna had been a nature-loving girl in a world that was dying from volcanic activity, pollution, and poison, while being attacked from the sky by once friendly neighbors. Kallima was the lost case, in and out of hospitals for destructive and violent behaviors, unable to be controlled by her family or officials.

They were given new lives, a second chance that they immediately jumped at. The changes began. Months of straining work, endless experiments, careful study, had finally paid off with the creation of the Nada, a race of four once-humans that were given exceptional and extraordinary abilities by rewriting their genetic code. Now, not bound by the restrictions of an autistic mind, Deirdra could move objects at will. Trelandi could manipulate the natural elements. Chesna could heal, even revive, and render anything invisible. Kallima could create barriers of energy for protection. All shared a telepathic link with each other, although that link was weakened by distance.

But they had no idea that these were just the beginning of the changes.

(flash)

Trelandi straightened her back when it was declared that the bio signatures could not be identified. A more advanced scan was preformed, trying to identify some of the basic energies that the bio signatures left in its trail. It failed miserably, which meant one thing. The only species capable of defying their scanners to this extent were the Yautja.

The gentle fiddling of her hair announced to her that Kallima had arrived. The younger female had an almost nervous habit of playing with someone else's hair. Chesna's hair was always hidden under her headdress and Deirdra would cut off the hand of anyone who got close to her sensitive head, which left Trelandi's light brown waves, with natural blonde highlights and unexplainable red streaks, to mess with.

Trelandi looked over at Kallima, who hastily noticed her gaze and withdrew her fingers to chew on a fingernail. Chesna was next to her, opening her mouth as if ready to speak but waiting for the attention to be focused on her. The brunette girl cocked a slender eyebrow, silently beckoning her to talk.

"Deirdra and I witnessed the crash of an alien spacecraft that couldn't be identified," said Chesna. "Deirdra went to investigate closer-"

Trelandi grimaced. Deirdra had the knack of going off on her own, usually marching right into danger. She was a tad overconfident and a bit careless at times… actually, she had a talent for getting into trouble pretty regularly. It was about time she found another commotion to get involved in.

"-And requested a scouting team be prepared and sent to assist her," Chesna finished.

Trelandi turned her head back to Ki'ersk and gave him a pointed look. "Please, dearest friend of mine?" she drawled with a cattish grin.

Ki'ersk pretended he didn't hear her, yet sauntered over to their commanding officer to pass on the message anyways. They got a backwards glance from said CO, but it was quite apparent the request was granted, because Ki'ersk didn't return to them immediately and instead disappeared in the maze of technology, most likely to rouse the troops, as their special forces were so fondly called.

Trelandi rested her hand on the holster at her waist. In it was a weapon identical to Deirdra's gun, except the vial in this one held green liquid. The Nada each had one of the oddly shaped guns, each containing a different colored liquid. Chesna's was purple and Kallima's blue. They were designed especially for them, energized by the presence of their unique energy signatures. She wondered if she'd get the chance to actually use it this time.

The Yautja were here, on this planet now. Why they came was obvious – to raise their Xenomorph prey and Hunt them, along with the other creatures of this world. That was why they were creating their own facility underground. Trelandi's blood burned in rage suddenly, and the other two Nada winced, able to feel her emotions distinctly because of their proximity.

Kallima was developing a migraine as she looked up at the screen, the pinpoint still focused on the invasion in the mid-west plain. It needn't be said aloud, but they all knew what the others were thinking.

This was going to be a really long day.

Author's Note: And there it is… chapter one: an introduction to the main characters, as of now, the current situation, and a little bit of Drey/Nada history. Chapter two will have plenty of Yautja action for our preddie fanatics. It will get better, I promise!

Dare I ask, please review? No wild flames? Mild ones are fine; they won't burn my marshmallows to a crisp. May I mention this is my first fanfic in writing history? And no flying tomatoes! Really, I hate tomatoes, unless there's a lot of mayonnaise on them.

I'll admit it. Chesna is based off the Nox from Stargate SG-1, but this is not a crossover with Stargate SG-1. I just found her character design too interesting to change completely.

By the way… QuickEdit is being a… censored… Wouldn't separate scenes… I don't know what fanfiction dot net was doing when they upgraded to this… It certainly doesn't work when I need to edit something. Sorry if there's any confusion.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the reading. Good day/night!

Friendly Glossary of Important Pronunciations (FGIP)

Drey: drae

Nada: naw-duh

Deirdra: dee-air-druh (nickname, Deda: dee-duh)

Chesna: chehz-naw (nickname, Chessy: cheh-zee)

Kallima: kah-lee-mah (nickname, Kalli: kah-lee)

Trelandi: treh-lawn-dee (nickname, Tre: tree)

Ki'ersk: kee-airsk


	2. Chapter Two

_Memories gone, the lost souls fight for the one thing they know: peace, hope, and victory. What happens when they can't win every fight they engage in? Can they solve the mystery of the world they were made to defend?_

Title: **Bred For War** (may change if something better comes to mind)

Author: My Broken Dreams

Rating: Overall T to M (PG-13 to R), as of now, specific chapter ratings may vary.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that has already been established in the Alien/Predator/AVP world. I'm not making any form of profit off this work.

All _original_ characters and plots belong to me, however. The Dreys and Nada, and now the Vlaxan, are mine. Don't take them without permission, please… who'd want to take them anyways?

Muse: The role playing game I joined earlier today. Odd, I know.

To the Reviewers:

**Stormseer88**: … how do people always know what's going to happen! Am I that obvious? Maybe me muses aren't working correctly… And the reason for such small numbers of the Nada is explained briefly here. In a later chapter, I'll revisit the actual incident.

**olgite the squidgal**: Well, no flying tomatoes yet. I try to make things as original as possible. Meet the bishoujo race of the Vlaxan!

I'm glad both of you enjoyed the first chapter. I'm still experimenting with character designs, so bear with me as I go through all the fine-tuning stages. I'm also struggling with my writing style, so sometimes it might seem that the words don't flow just right. Once everything is established, it should be more… complete. Blargh, bad choice of words…

Chapter Status: 2 of ? Complete

Individual Ch. Rating: T (PG-13), for language, and the Vlaxan sex education… what? Some things just have to be explained! Oh, yes, also rated for the femme slash theme…

Chapter Title: **Finding The Way Home**

Everyone in that dome facility was getting quite annoyed. Reports were coming in off the walls and even the mildly tempered Drey would've trashed some of the more important equipment by now.

"Notification from the Vlaxan that their deep-space sensors have picked up another approaching vessel," someone said.

"You've got to be kidding," came a comment from one of the lowlier attendants. He was reprimanded promptly.

"Friends of the Yautja?" Kallima mused quietly to herself.

"If it were allies with the Yautja, they would've most likely been able to bypass the Vlaxan's technology. That's why we weren't alerted when the first craft entered the atmosphere," explained the taller brunette.

"Damn, why can't we find a way to penetrate those blasted cloaking shields?" was the moaning reply.

"Hell if I know. But whatever they did, not even the most advanced tracers could pick them up," Trelandi said with a sigh.

"The Vlaxan are sending us some of their trained… men to assist, and more will be ready if it gets… bloody," was the next announcement. An exchange of information collected would happen next between the Drey and Vlaxan computers. In less than an hour, they would have backup.

Chesna cocked her head slightly, staring up at the flashing screen. "Do you think we'll see Nika this time?" she wondered aloud.

Nika was a Vlaxan and had almost been altered as well, however, some already mutated gene of hers prevented it from being possible, along with an unfortunate lab accident that destroyed all pure Nada samples, which inhibited the alterations of any other beings. With the originals gone, they would risk extreme mutations, even possible death, if they attempted another change. The Vlaxan were good friends with the Drey, however, also starting out as a nomadic species until they settled on a planet not too far away from their own.

(flash)

Vlaxan were a healthy species of humanoid females that live in a distant solar system on the outskirts of the Milky Way until the Xenomorph destroyed their world. With their technology, much more advanced than the Drey's, they had made a cloaking device that shields their existence from any prying eyes, but failed when it came to the Aliens. They were an isolated and lonely colony, yet peace-loving and gentle, with a love for music and the arts. They were vegetarian and believed eating meat was atrocious. Their vocal cords were not capable of human speech, so they formed a type of universal telepathy to communicate between themselves and other creatures. Younger Vlaxans called their elders with the prefix Honored-so and so. The typical Vlaxan name ended in a vowel.

Mating was not impossible among them. Each female, once they reach the climax in puberty, had hormones that produced both, as humans would put it, egg and sperm. It depended on which female was the dominant one in the relationship. The one dominant, in the height of sexual activity, produced the 'sperm' hormone through her pores and the non-dominant one absorbed these hormones, so the 'sperm' fertilized the 'egg,' which was produced in the non-dominant female. Childbirth, there on out, was very similar to that of humans.

A Vlaxan's anatomy was nearly identical to that of a human's, stirring the suspicion of possible relations. The average adult Vlaxan ranged in our height from five-foot-two to five-foot-eight. The only differences between them and humans were that their skin was pale blue in color, their eyes were larger and rounder, with a crescent moon birthmark on the left cheek, and their ears were pointed at an angle. Eye color consisted of a strict vibrant green, grey, or amber. They had straight hair, which is rarely cut, that could range from white to dark blue to violet to red; curly hair was very rare and unique to them. A sign of aging was that their hair would begin to get darker until it was completely black and their skin got looser. Unlike humans, a Vlaxan with more weight was considered desirable.

Normally a docile species, the destruction of the world they lived on for as long as they could remember stirred hatred for the Xenomorph and Yautja, especially the former. They began special training, teaching the Vlaxan to battle against creatures thrice their own size and survive. Their already superior technology was used to make a variety of weapons, particularly designed to harm an Alien or Predator. After meeting the Drey and finding that they were in similar situations, they joined forces, living on planets close to each other and using their knowledge to help the other. While the Vlaxan's scanners were for tracking unwanted visitors in space, the Drey's were used to detect suspicious activities on and under the ground. There was a selected group of trained Vlaxan that remained on the Drey home world, which they nicknamed Draegan, and helped scout and defend the lands where the Nada were unable to reach.

(flash)

"Perhaps," Trelandi said. She watched as Ki'ersk returned with an agitated look. She raised an eyebrow, but had a good clue to why he was so pissed. The troops.

"They left just a few minutes ago, but they had a difficult time saying their sweet farewells to their comfy quarters. They obviously aren't overworked," he said with disgust.

"And unaware of the situation. You _did_ brief them, didn't you?" asked Trelandi.

Ki'ersk gave a brisk nod. "Of course. They acted almost… _drugged_."

The three Nada traded peculiar glances, before Trelandi looked directly at Kallima. "You didn't try to make them today's meals?" Everyone was aware of Kallima's enthusiasm to try and create new foods… sometimes it turned out disastrous.

Kallima put on a mask of innocence and whistled absently. "Who, me?"

A heavy sigh passed Trelandi's lips and she pushed herself off the machine behind her. "I'll go snap them out of it…"

"Snap them out, by the means of poisoning them with an un-drugging herb that tastes like shit?" Ki'ersk wondered.

"Poisoning isn't the right word. Curing, perhaps." With that, Trelandi stalked away from them, knowing well that if they were drugged that they wouldn't have made much ground in so little time.

(scene change)

Deirdra wiped the droplets of sweat from her forehead as she made her way around the crash site in the plains; using whatever plant life she could to hide her from view. It had taken her some time to get from the forest to the grasslands and the heat from the sun was beating on her ruthlessly. The hair from her ponytail was tickling her neck and bothered her enough to yearn for a good trim. She simply wrapped it into a messy bun. The Drey were lucky not to be harassed by hair. She envied them. Gods, it drove her insane. But okay, she needed to focus on the task before her.

She was amazed at the speed such a sophisticated shelter could be constructed from the supplies inside the trashed vessel. She wondered if some new Vlaxan technology had knocked their steering out of whack, for the condition the craft was in indicated that they had a rough landing. She wasn't sure.

The Yautja were working on their underground facility, seemingly unbothered by the heat. Their actions were carefully synchronized and a lot had already been accomplished with the little tools they were using. An opening to the earth had already been made, but there was something unusual about it; it almost gave off an aura, like it was alive. Deirdra was trying to figure out a way to get a closer look, but it seemed impossible with all the security. What she needed was a distraction…

Or maybe she should just wait for backup…

Then again…

Decisions, decisions…

Aw, what the hell. If her body was found in one piece, which was highly unlikely, Chesna could probably revive her.

She studied the craft the Yautja arrived in. It was considerably smaller than what she had expected, but she just assumed more were on the way; this was just the welcoming party. Tilting her head in almost a curious way, she wondered if she could cause it to tremble enough to catch the Predators' attention. It was still a very large object, but her training often included lifting heavy things with her mind, as long as it wasn't something valuable.

The dark brunette observed them in a detached way, silently gathering up the psychic energy that waited in the depths of her existence to be released. She focused her thoughts solely on the vessel, channeling her energy through the strings of her mind and to her target. Her eyebrows twitched slightly as her concentration heightened to a more spiritual level. She struggled and strained to gain movement control over the ship's frame, but to no avail.

It was just her first try. Little energy was released on the failed attempt, but was already directed to the craft. She loosened her mind and tried again, visualizing it lifting just slightly off the ground. Her eyes were fixed on the craft, although the expression in them almost seemed like she was seeing _through_ it instead.

Third time's the charm, they always said. Unfortunately, she needed to be hasty because a few Yautja had noticed the slight trembling off the pebbles around their craft and were becoming suspicious. And it wasn't easy to rush a very difficult mental process.

Her nails were digging into her palms nearly to the point of drawing blood, but at the same time, the craft gave a shuddering jerk upwards before thudding back to the ground. The slight, yet noticeable movement surprised even Deirdra. The Yautja's immediate response was to draw a weapon and approach the ship cautiously.

Now that her mind was successfully linked to the vessel, she was able to move it with less effort. The hull trembled and groaned as it hovered just an inch above the ground before diving sharply to the side, raising a cloud of dust and sand as it made impact with the earth. As it made random jolts, Deirdra took the opportunity to creep closer. Her training also included stealth, and the Nada seemed to just have a natural ability to blend in with their surroundings.

She went on unnoticed, the wrecked craft holding the Yautja's attention for the most part. She was a mere few feet from the opening when she heard a sudden whoosh and the tip of a vicious looking blade buried itself into the ground millimeters from her left ear, causing her to stop in her tracks and lose control of the vessel. Ah, shit, was her first coherent thought, silently cursing her luck for holding out on her for so long – she was _so_ close – before giving her away.

A deep growl reverberated inside the Yautja's mask as the blade slid out of the ground in a painfully slow motion. The point tickled the back of her neck dauntingly. She stared at the Yautja's shadow, which loomed boldly in front of her, and watched as the blade was drawn back, knowing that it would only be a few seconds before it came down again, but this time with much more force, severing her head from her shoulders like a hot knife through butter. She wasn't going to let that happen, however. She snaked her hand along her side, aiming for the dagger on her belts to block the blow with.

A heavy foot crushed her wrist down just before her fingertips could brush the hilt, followed by more growling. Her weapons were extracted and the foot applied more weight against her wrist. More Yautja had joined the one who caught her and they clicked at her furiously. Like she understood anyway.

Her hair was grabbed in the merciless grip of a firm hand, yanking her head up to an agonizing angle. She tried to support herself with her free arm, but another foot kicked it back. She hissed in pain, her skull throbbing. Damn it, why did her head have to be so sensitive?

A masked face was lowered in front of hers, dreadlocks swinging around it. By the shifting of the foot on her wrist, she quickly figured that it was the same Predator. She stared back with her trademark hollow gaze, making her eyes seem lifeless. But that look was lost at what happened next.

"You have no business here, Ooman," a rumbling voice told her, raspy and dangerously low. And in English, too, what a surprise!

Deirdra gave a small croak, unable to produce any logical noises with her throat in such a strained position. The Yautja seemed to understand, however, and gave her some slack. The reply he got, needless to say, wasn't what he wanted in return for his… _compassion_.

"_You_ are the one who has no business here," she spat, only to gasp as her head was pulled back again.

"You speak foolishly, but you may be of some use to us," the Yautja said.

She gurgled as her saliva dripped down her throat, muscles pulled so tightly that she couldn't swallow properly. She was allowed a little leeway again.

"Go to hell." Colored dots were beginning to dance in her vision. It seemed as though she wasn't as invincible as she thought she was.

Her remark was shrugged off and the Yautja continued. "We have attempted to visit this planet before, however, something prevented us from successfully entering this atmosphere until now. I want to know _why_."

Control freaks, the lot of them. No wonder they didn't kill her on first sight.

Wait…

What?

Cue utter confusion. Enter stage left, please.

"I have no-" She couldn't finish; her head yanked back once more.

"You are an inhabitant of this world; it's obvious by the way you dress, the way you move, and the way you defend it. Why haven't we been able to land before today?" he repeated with more venom, quickly losing his patience.

Deirdra didn't answer as her gaze lowered to the opening in the ground, which was partially hidden by the legs of the surrounding Yautja. Her mind was trying to function properly, uncertain of the Predator's real intention after going through the past few minutes of conversation. Were they here to hunt or was something else going on? Something she wasn't aware of?

Oh Gods, why wouldn't they just break her neck already? Couldn't they see that she had no idea what they were talking about? Did she have to write 'oblivious' across her forehead in all the languages she knew… which wasn't very many?

Her mind was about to cross the line that separated awareness from unconsciousness. She didn't know what was going on, except that her head had been released and something was making a lot of noise, as she fell limp on the ground.

(scene change)

Trelandi's blood pumped hotly at the sight of her sister being handled like a rag doll. She didn't know what exactly was going on except that Deirdra was in trouble and that no one threatened a Nada and got away with it. The dozen and a half Drey soldiers accompanying her were trying to form an attack strategy, but she wasn't really paying much attention as she threaded her fingers into the fine grains of earth beneath her.

"Just shut up and get out your weapons," she hissed at them, tired of their petty arguing, curling her fingers so that they dug into the thicker dirt underneath the loose sands. Okay, so she really was just about as impulsive as her older sister. But she couldn't just wait around and watch without doing anything.

A slight tremor in the earth confirmed a successful connection between her mind and nature. The ground shifted under her control and a bulge formed, squirming under her hand like an obedient puppy. She told it what to do without using verbal words, watching as the bulge slowly grew. Suddenly, it barreled forward, making the ground quake beneath it. It separated into smaller bulges and spread through the site, wrecking whatever got in its way.

Chaos broke loose as the Drey lunged forward, drawing the Yautja's attention from the fallen Nada. They were immediately met with furious roars as weapons collided with weapons. Blood was spilt everywhere from both sides. Her friends had certainly been trained well, although they really weren't much of a match for the Predators, but their slightly telepathic minds gave them a little advantage.

But, of course, things like this tended to backfire. Moments later, the quaking increased drastically, and forming splits in the ground that continued to grow and spread. Trelandi's eyes widened in horror; she had lost control over the destruction she was trying to cause. Not only would the ground swallow up the enemy, but the Drey soldiers, Deirdra, and herself.

"Damn!" She immediately barked at the Drey to retreat, trying to gain control of the ground so it wouldn't consume all of the plains, but she wasn't having much luck.

Every creature was trying to reach safety; their greatest enemy was the earth underneath their feet at that time. But Deirdra remained motionless on the ground, her body tossed around by the violent tremors. Trelandi knew she was still alive, she could hear her sister's heart beating in her head, she just had to get to her and pulled her to safety… which seemed impossible because everywhere the crevices were growing, the ground crumbling around them.

She took a deep breath, her mind made up. She could either give it a shot or watch Deirdra be swallowed up in the ground. Finding her balance quickly, she lunged forward, calculating her steps to avoid being swallowed up. She was just a few meters away, when her foot got caught in the splitting earth, sending her pummeling down to the ground. A crunch, followed by a crack, indicated her ankle broke, but the searing pain of broken bones told her first. Her teeth cut through the skin on her bottom lip, the metallic taste of blood oozing into her mouth as she drew in several grating breaths, eyes clenched shut as she tried to maneuver her foot from the fissure without much success.

The thundering bellow of the shuddering earth was nearly deafening. She had created a monster while trying to safe her sister. Now they would both die for her mistake.

She began to sink into the collapsing ground, eyes wide again, frantically clawing in vain at the surface to stay above. She was so desperate in the pandemonium, that she barely noticed a burly arm grabbing her around the waist and tossing her over an armor-clad shoulder. She managed a soft groan as the wind was knocked out of her, finally allowing her lids to veil her guilty eyes.

(to be continued)

Author's Note: I'm working off little sleep, so updates might be slow. Lots of character deaths next chapter and plenty of angst. I'm still not sure how this story will turn out… I've already lost a bit of inspiration… stupid ADD… Okay, I'll stop rambling now.


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